Sport

Jeffreys the star man as Shovels crush Cobbles

MALT Shovel A hosted leaders Cobblestones A in Division A of the Bridgwater Town Skittles League and, following a spare from Matt Gorvin, posted an opening hand of 61.

The visitors, without a spare, failed to beat the opening hand by a single pin but a Kevin Heritage spare in the second hand gave the team a 63. Shovel appeared to be struggling until a final man on spare from Steve Britton pulled a further seven to lead by eight.

Cobblestones showed why they are leaders over the following four hands, achieving a 15- pin swing, to enter the final hand seven up despite two 17 floppers from Darren Jeffreys of the Shovel.

The Malt Shovel’s final hand of 76 set a target of 70 to win, which, without early spares, eluded the Cobblestones, who lost by six in a very evenly matched game.

In Division B, British Flag A crossed the town to play at the New Foresters, against the A team. A mighty 81 set the standard from the outset, netting the home side 13 pins, despite a 16 flopper from Keith Lott.

A better hand from the visitors in the second reduced the lead to two, before another winning hand switched the lead to the Flag and left the Foresters trailing.

Both teams struggled in the fourth hand, before another 80 hand saw the lead yet again switch. The penultimate hand went to the visitors as they hit an 80 of their own and leapt into the lead by 11.

Steve Bull’s final hand 17 flopper set a target of 66 to win for the Flag. An early spare from Darren Kitch just wasn’t big enough and the game ended a well-deserved draw.

Division C leaders West India A travelled to face the struggling Sydenham Centre A side. Sydenham started well with an opening spare from Phill Rowlands, followed by another mid-way through the hand by Mark Duddridge.

West India lost 18 on the opening hand and another 13 in the second after Sydenham hit two floppers and a spare to chalk up an 82.

West India showed grit and won the next four hands to leave Sydenham’s impressive lead in tatters.

The final hand needed to be special if Sydenham were to claim the points needed to help extricate themselves from the relegation zone. The hand didn’t disappoint, with two spares giving a target of 86 to win.

West India started perfectly with a spare from Sean Haysham, followed by a further spare from third player on Dean Henderson, however a triple of fives ruined the chances and Sydenham won by 19.

White Hart A visited the Bird in Hand to play their B team in Division D. Bird chalked up a 55 as an opening hand and started building their lead, another six pins were added in the second hand after a spare from Darren Selway led the home team to a score of 61.

The home side lost heavily in the fourth hand after White Hart’s spares from Josh Harper and Phil Weller gave the visitors a game topping 76 to reduce the lead to three and another three pins lost in the sixth hand left the visitors only two behind.

Bird were not going down without a fight and posted a winning score of 75, within White Hart’s range, but despite a good spare from Tom Harper the score proved elusive as they lost by six